The World At Midnight
by Bad A1ice
Summary: Thanos was not happy with Loki at all. So he puts one of his better plans into play for the young God. Turning him into a defenceless and sending him crashing into New York. Practically on The Avengers doorstep. But that is not all Thanos has planned. Clint/Tasha. Kid!Loki and Extremely cute and fluffy Big Brother Thor! Rated T for violence in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

_***Sheepishly Peeps out from pillow.* Hi. Yeah. It's me. Punk. Sorry I've gone AWOL if any of you noticed/wondered. I was caught up in the magical realms of a long-term RP. Which, surprisingly, has taken up a lot of my writing time. BUT I HAVE RETURNED. *THUNDERCLAP*. Sorry. Anyway. This is an Avengers fanfic. It takes place at some point between Avengers and Thor 2. There's Clint/Natasha here just to warn you all. And Kid!Loki. Hope you enjoy! Sorry for the delay!**_

Loki, for lack of a better word, was screwed. The God Of Mischief sat in his cell, his raven hair falling down his shoulders in long tendrils. _Honestly. _He mused to himself. _You would think Thor would have learnt what happens when you put me in a clear glass cell. _He chuckled a little at this inside joke, and looked at his surroundings. Not that there was much to look at. There was a guard, standing in the far corner of the room, a spear in his hand and a look on his face that told Loki that he honestly really did not want to be there. Loki had tried talking to him at one point. But the guard had just ignored him. Which wasn't exactly the most polite thing in the world. But then again he had tried the same thing with that Spider lady…what was her name again? Black Widow…something of the sort. Loki shook his head in dismay. _What a peculiar creature she was. The thought of it! A mere midgardian Lass out smartening The God Of Lies. Impossible. _

But that was the thing. It had happened. It had all happened. _I wonder if she really did love him. All this rubbish about the sore reason of her being there was to wipe the red from her ledger. No. There was compassion in those eyes. Compassion that was surrounded by a barrier, true. But 'twas there none the less. _

Loki looked up when he heard the sound of metal clashing against metal. With a small frown, he got to his feet on shaking, weak legs. "Guard?" He called out. "What is it? What is the meaning of all this ruckus?"  
The guard didn't answer. Seeing as he was lying on the ground with his neck broken. Loki frowned. "Oh…well then." He mumbled, before he peered into the darkness. _One does wonder…._

Thanos smirked a little, remaining in the shadows as he watched the young god peering out at him unknowingly. If only he knew the pain he would soon be going through. Thanos stepped forward, relishing in the look of fear that crossed over Loki's face.  
"Nay…" He whispered, his back coming to rest against the glass wall on the other side of the cell. "You're not here. You can't possibly be—"  
"Oh it is true, knave." Thanos smirked, "You were warned of your demise if you failed to use the tesserect to our greater good. And that demise is about to commence"  
Loki kept his breathing level, not wanting to show any fear. Although deep inside all he wanted was his elder brother. Despite everything, all that had happened, Thor was his elder brother and that was never going to change. "You plan to kill me?" He asked levelly, keeping his chin raised defiantly. Thanos shook his head. "…Nay. My plan is something a little more…"  
The glass keeping Loki captive faded with a wave of his hand, allowing him to step in, sealing behind him once more so there was no means of escape. " Beneficial." He smirked, waving his hand in the air, summoning his magic, before clenching his hand in a fist in the God's direction. 

And that was when Loki started screaming.

Things were getting better. Despite everything. Steve shifted a little, looking down at his coffee as he yawned. The man rubbed a tired hand over his face, before he finally took another small sip from his coffee. It was Christmas in New York. And, even though everything was different, there was still the same amount of magic in the air. Clint on the other hand, was just sitting there, glaring at the snow like Cats tended to do at their owners' children. Steve had no idea how many layers the SHIELD Agent had on. But Clint was oddly resembling a piece of cotton wool. "R-Remind me why we're having Coffee outside in the middle of December?" He asked. The two having become quite close over the months. It could have been worse though. It could have been Stark instead of Barton. Steve rolled his eyes a little, sipping his coffee again. An odd smile crossed his lips, a distant memory of a conversation a long time ago. With Bucky. Clint watched him, one eyebrow raised as he idly held a marshmallow down under the dark brown waves of his hot chocolate. Waiting until the pink fluffy goodness was soaked with chocolate before spooning the poor thing into his mouth. It was things like this that made Natasha wonder how on earth he had become an Agent. "It's because of that Waitress isn't it?" He asked with a roll of his eyes. It was strange when he thought about it. A few months ago this entire street was in ruins. He barely knew Steve and Steve barely knew any of them. But here he was. Socialising, Freezing his ass off, mind you. But Socialising. Steve shook his head, a slightly confused look on his face at the mention of the waitress. "No…she moved after Loki attacked New York."  
Clint blinked a few times. "And you know that how?"  
Steve turned a light shade of red. "…Shut up Barton."  
"Gotcha." Clint shrugged, sipping his coffee. He glanced around at the falling snow, rubbing it from his eyes and hair. "Think Stark's rusting yet?" He mused. Steve managed a small laugh, getting to his feet after he had finished his coffee, having already paid. "I don't think he's even out of bed."  
Clint hurriedly downed his hot chocolate, which to be honest, completely ruined the aspect of buying the damn thing in the first place, and hurried after his friend, Slip sliding in the snow. "Woah. Steve. Calm it. We got time, man."  
Steve frowned. "I wasn't hurrying." He mumbled in slight confusion. Clint huffed. "Well walk slower! I got shorter legs than you, Skinny."  
Skinny was a nickname Clint had come up with a few weeks after the attack. Steve blinked over at his friend. "Well maybe you can't keep up because you can hardly walk in all those layers." He chuckled. Clint rolled his eyes again. "I don't like being cold! I'm not a Robin for crying out loud! I don't wear tights either." He grumbled. Steve found himself laughing, shaking his head a little as he fiddled with the scarf around his neck. His breath steaming up in the cold. His cheeks were red and his blonde hair was dotted with snowflakes. Natasha blinked a few times, looking up when she saw the two men shuffle in from the cold. A wry smile spread across her lips when she saw Clint. "You look like a Shiatsu."  
"Shiatsu." Clint muttered, gesturing wildly. "Shiatsu's a new one. I've had ball of cotton wool and Snowball from some guy in the street But Shiatsu! Shiatsu's a new o—" He smiled a little when he felt her kiss him. Steve blinked a little, looking away politely, rubbing the back of his neck. Bruce had a similar expression from where he was sitting on the couch, his nose in a book. Clint had his eyes closed, cold cheeks against hers. Bruce and Steve exchanged a glance with each other. Thor smiled in his usual cheery way as he walked in. He wasn't entirely sure why he was on Midgard. But he was none the less. His smile was slightly heartier than usual. "Good Morning! Fair Maiden," He nodded to Natasha, who quirked a brow. "Birdman." Clint just chuckled. "Dr Banner and Man of Stars." He smiled. It was only Steve who nodded back. "Morning Thor."

Thor grinned happily, looking down at his hands as he glanced back at Clint and Natasha. Clint had a small smile on his face, his arm coming to rest around Natasha's slim waist. "You okay?" He mumbled. It was rare that she ever let them have moments like this. She shrugged a little, looking down at her feet. Clint frowned, tilting her chin up with his fingers gently. "Tash….talk to me…"  
Natasha shook her head a little, hiding her face in his chest. Thor was the first one to frown. "What is wrong with Lady Natasha?"  
Clint just shrugged a little, looking down at his partner. "…Tashy…c'mon Babe.."  
Natasha shook her head. "You know I hate it when you call me that." She said quietly, but didn't stop clinging to him. Clint nodded his head, kissing her head. "….M'kay…" He mumbled, slowly sitting down with her in his arms.

Bruce frowned a little, running a hand through his hair. "Something is confusing me…" Steve slowly looked down at him. "Dr Banner?" Bruce placed his book down, glancing back over at the clear glass tablet in his hands, frowning down at the data that it was displaying. "There's…lots of Gamma radiations." He mumbled. "Coming from all around. The…The angle of it…" He trailed off, whipping on his glasses. "Something isn't right. It isn't right at all."  
Steve had a small frown on his face. "Dr Banner. Please. What is happening?"  
Bruce walked over to where Tony was standing, pretending to not make it obvious he was snapping pictures of Clint and Natasha for future blackmail purposes. Bruce and Tony conferred, using words that Steve would not understand in a million years. Tony nodded gravely, before he looked back at Steve. "We need to suit up. Whatever that thing is it's moving fast and it's heading for New York."

Clint sighed. "Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be? Where else would it land? London? Sydney? Oh no. Aliens attack and they come to New York, The Apocalypse starts and it starts in New York. I mean come on!"  
"Barton you're rambling." Tony muttered. "Shut it Legolas."

Clint rolled his eyes, helping Natasha up. Resisting the urge to reply to Tony's remark with something about Hobbits and Isengard. He wasn't about to let this slide with Natasha. There was something wrong and he knew it.

Loki was falling. And falling fast. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't breathe at all and it was just about the most scariest thing he had ever witnessed. He was battered and bruised, tattered and torn. But then there was the pain. The dull ache that seemed to linger up and down his spinal cord. His head was pulsing and his fingers nattered with the tell-tale pins and needles pain. He couldn't see where he was going as he fell through the Bifröst, but he felt the familiar sensation of falling through atmosphere after atmosphere.

And then suddenly the ground was coming to meet him.

The People in Central Park weren't expecting it. And to be quite honest, neither were the ducks. Loki gasped for breath once he broke the surface of the water, spitting feathers from his mouth. Smoke was rising from the water where he had landed. And for a brief moment he had forgotten how to swim. The God spluttered a little, wincing at all the screams of the New Yorkers before he finally managed to begin treading water. . His head was hurting like nothing on earth. _Stop…Please stop…_ He went to place his hands over his ears, but froze as soon as he lifted his arms. _Smaller? _ He pondered. He slowly looked down at his reflection. The small boy let out a startled cry, his hands going to his cheeks, squeezing and pinching. "No…No no no…" The six year old whimpered. "This isn't right….this isn't right!"

"Somebody help! There's a little boy in there!"  
"Stand back Ma'm…we'll handle this."

"Mommy! Mommy look! It's the Avengers!"

Loki slowly raised his head. "Oh…Bother." He muttered, shaking his head a little. Thor's face slowly fell. He knew that face. He knew those frightened green eyes. "Loki?" He whispered, kneeling near the duck pond, his hammer falling with a thud at his side. "Brother it cannot be so…."

"Loki?" Clint echoed, tightening his hand on his bow. Steve just swallowed thickly, looking over at Tony.

_This isn't good. _

_**So! That's the first Chapter done and diddly-dusted. Sorry if my writing skills are a little rusty. (Not that they ever were good.) And further apologies for how dreadfully Out Of Character they all are. But if you like it drop me a Review and I'll update soon!**_

Thank you my lovelies! 


	2. Chapter 2

_**Well thank you one and all for all the lovely reviews! So here's the next chapter folks! Thanks for all the support!  
**_

Loki couldn't quite believe it either. He swallowed thickly, his hair sodden and wet. He winced a little when he felt his spine ache again. One last surge of magic coursing through his veins. The lethal look slowly seemed to leave the boys face. He looked up at Thor with wide shining eyes. "Where's my Mama?" He whispered, his body finally reacting to the freezing December chill of the duck pond. Steve glanced over at Clint, who was holding his bow so tightly his knuckles were turning white. Natasha placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Clint…he's just a child." She said quietly. Glancing around as Police and SHIELD Agents calmed down civilians in the area. Clint shook his head bitterly. "You don't know. You don't know what he told me. What he made me d—" He was broken off by Natasha slamming him against a tree trunk. "Clint stop it right now. Are you listening to me Agent Barton?" She had adopted her 'I am a higher rank than you' tone again. "I know what he did to you and I know how much it hurt but as far as we know that is a little boy. " She gestured to the shivering boy in the duck pond. "Now I know all you want is to shoot an arrow into Loki's eye. Hell, I'd hold him down for you. But _that_ isn't him. That is a scared little boy. You wanna know how I know? Because I know that look in a childs eyes Agent Barton and you know that better than anyone else. So keep it together and stop feeling so damn sorry for yourself."  
It pained her so much to treat him like this. But Natasha was smart. She knew how to do the right thing. Even if it hurt along the way. But yet she felt her eyes softening. "….For me Clint…" She said quietly, squeezing his shoulders.

The redhead took it all in her stride when he hid his face in her shoulder wordlessly. She closed her eyes, one arm circling around him as they stood in the snow. She glanced around, checking that no-one was watching, before she quietly placed a small kiss on his head. "….It's okay Hawk…"

Thor couldn't stand there any longer. With what he hoped to be a gentle smile, he scooped the soaking boy into his arms. "It is fine, young one. I have you. All is well, Loki." He said softly. The little boy seemed to frown, before he inhaled slightly, recognition slowly seeping in to his emerald eyes. He rested his head on the strong chest before him, letting himself be wrapped up in Thor's red cape. "B-Brudder Tor?" He mumbled. Thor smiled a little. "Yes small one. It is Brother Thor."  
"Got big,." Loki stated, shivering a little. Thor laughed in his usual way. "Yes little one. I do believe I did." 

Tony had no idea what the hell was happening. He looked down at Bruce. "We're taking the damn kid in?" He asked incredulously. "Am I the only one who remembers the fact that he completely destroyed New York?"  
Bruce closed his eyes, taking off his glasses. "….So did I." He muttered to himself. "But we're all ignoring that."  
Steve still had a short fuse with Tony. Something that he was sure would never change. "He's just a child Stark. Are you honestly going to hold what happened in New York in summer against him?"  
"Uh **yeah**" Tony muttered. "Am I honestly the only one who remembers that this guy is the freaking God of **Lies** and **Mischief.**? And you think this is legit?"  
"Stark I am not familiar with this term Legit but this is a small boy we're talking about here." Tony gritted his teeth at the Soldier's words. He stepped forward, nose to nose with him. "We're also talking about the son of a bitch who killed Phil Coulson. You remember that? Or are you too full or pride?"  
Steve felt his fists clench. He swallowed down any anger he had because they were in a public place. "Stark…look at him. He's clinging to Thor for dear life. He's. Terrified." He gritted out .

Tony had just had enough by then. "Fine. When he comes and tricks you all into certain death don't come winging to me." He muttered, his visor clanging down. He muttered something under his breath before he shot off into the sky. Steve had a strange urge to punch a tree. But he knew that if he did, with all this anger he would probably have to replace the damn thing. He rubbed a hand down his face, calming himself as much as he could. Forcing himself to just think about the simple things. Going to see the film_ Arsenic And Old Lace _ in 1942. Quoting the film weeks afterwards in appropriate situations with Bucky, and then having a chuckle with Bucky about their inside jokes. Vera Lynn's voice relaxing him on the radio before the experiment…humming the tune in his head as he angled the plane downwards-

That was enough of that.

When they finally returned to the Avengers Tower, Loki had drifted off in Thor's arms. Still wrapped up in his cape. Thor shook his head a little in bemusement. "I have no idea how this could have happened."  
"Think it's a trick?" Clint asked spitefully. Thor shook his head again, setting his hammer down with a loud thunk. "My brother had no magic at this age and I sense nout on him."  
Clint's lip curled a little, but he stopped himself from saying anything, keeping his head in Natasha's lap. She was actually just letting him sit there with her for once. Bruce was looking down at Loki curiously through his thick rimmed glasses. Before he carefully placed his hand on Loki's forehead. Loki whimpered a little, his eyes opening slightly before he nosed his way back into Thor's chest. Thor looked up in confusion. "Dr Banner?" Bruce whipped his glasses on his shirt. Speaking in his normal quiet tone. "H-He has a fever." He informed the room. "Probably from falling in that pond."

Thor looked down at the small boy sadly. "I have never seen him like this." He mumbled, holding the cape a little closer around the boy when he noticed he was shivering. Loki whimpered a little, curling up in the soft fabric. "Tor…when Mama n' Papa home?" He asked sleepily. Thor sighed, closing his eyes. "Soon small one…Soon."

Natasha lifted her head. "How does he know who you are? Surely you were a mere child when he was at that age." Thor smiled a little "A good question, fair maiden. My cloak contains my smell and sense. Something that will not have changed since when I was small. It is unique to every one of Asgard. It is through this that he knows I am of family and that I mean him no harm."

Steve was very confused, but he wasn't in the mood to voice it. It was the December evenings that he liked the best. When they all just sort of sat there. Clint and Natasha were lying there, Natasha curled against him in a rare moment of dependence. Rare moments that were slowly becoming more and more frequent.

Bruce was alternating from writing in his notebook, to staring at his laptop screen to watching the snow slowly drift down on the city that never sleeps. Thor on the other hand was walking up and down the hallway repeatedly, bouncing and rocking his sick brother, humming and old Asgardian lullaby. Loki was sucking his thumb, tear tracks staining his cheeks as he fretfully slid into a feverish sleep. Steve got up from where he was reading, and walked over to the two Gods. "Thor? Everything okay?" Despite everything he was worried. Even after what had happened, Loki was a small child that needed looking after. And Steve wanted to help no matter what. Thor managed a small smile, keeping his voice hushed as not to wake his younger brother. "Yes thank you, man of Stars. I have just managed to get him to drift off to the land of the Sandman. Yet alas I think his dreams will not be good ones."

Steve bit his lip, looking down at the small boy sadly. "Anything I can do?" Thor nodded, shifting Loki in his arms. "Could you direct me in the way in which I can place my brother down for rest on this winter night?"  
Steve chuckled a little, opening one of the doors. "In here, Thor. I thought God's didn't need to sleep."  
"We do." Thor nodded. "More so when we are ill." He looked down at his brother sadly, shushing him when he stirred a little. Steve nodded, not wanting to wake the boy as he took a small step back, lingering in the doorway. "You're staying with him?" He asked with a small smile .Thor nodded. "I believe it is wise to keep a vigil on my younger brother. Goodnight Man Of Stars."

Steve rolled his eyes, doing a mock salute before he closed the door behind him.

Thor rested the small boy down in the bed, pulling the covers over him. Smiling a little to himself when he realised how long it had been since he had had to do this. Loki was blinking up at him sleepily, his jet black fringe in his eyes, falling to one side when he moved his head on his pillow. Thor smiled at him, pulling a chair up to the bed. "Sleep child. I'm not going anywhere."

Natasha hugged her knees to her chest. She slowly slid down the tiled wall of her bathroom until she was on the floor. She was shaking, her head buried somewhere in her arms. She had turned the shower on. But hadn't gotten in it yet. She was just sitting there on the cold floor, a towel wrapped tightly around her. She slowly lifted her head, clipping her red fringe back with a slide she found near the bathroom sink. She slowly looked down at her wrists, looking at the ugly, thick scars that littered them. She swallowed down a lump in her throat, which alarmed her as much as it amazed her. She wasn't one for emotion. Clint was on the bed, probably watching Neighbours or something. He was like that. Thinking she was just in the shower. Natasha rocked a little, re-tucking in her towel when she felt it slide from her dry body again. She wanted to tell him. But she couldn't. She just couldn't.

_Oh pull yourself together, Romanoff. You stopped being a teenager a long time ago._

"Ради бога" She muttered the colourful Russian Word under her breath, before she slowly rose to her feet.

She felt her breath catch in her throat as soon as she saw it. Suddenly she wished she brought her guns into the bathroom. She looked around the misty room, the steam from the shower making it hard to see. She felt her heart beating hard in her chest. It was all becoming too much.

She couldn't breathe.

Why the hell couldn't she breathe?

She whirled around again, looking back at the one thing that had caused her panic in the first place. 

Writing.

Writing on the bathroom mirror.

Two simple words that all together made her hair stand on end.

….

'_I know.'_


End file.
